There he is! Burt Reynolds made a rare public appearance at the Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday, April 22, to promote his new movie Dog Years.

Hollywood icons Robert De Niro and Chevy Chase assisted the Smokey and the Bandit actor, 81, down the red carpet toward a chair. At times, Reynolds, who uses a cane, struggled to walk, USA Today reported.

"Great to see Mr. De Niro, who I love, and .. you know, all the people that I know," Reynolds, clad in a black suit and a baby blue silk shirt, said after taking a seat. "It's very sweet."

In Dog Years, the Oscar nominee plays an aging movie star named Vic Edwards who comes to the realization that his glory days are behind him as he mourns the loss of his dog. "I guess I'm doing all right, I think, because it's a hell of a turnout," he joked at the film festival, pointing out how the film parallels his own life.

Reynolds also joked about working with younger costars Ariel Winter and Nikki Blonsky. "You don't learn from young actors," he said. "You just tell them how to behave."

The Deliverance actor underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 2009, the same year he went to rehab for a prescription drug addiction.

Dog Years is now in theaters.

Robert De Niro, from left, Burt Reynolds and Chevy Chase attend the screening of "Dog Years", during the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, at Cinepolis Chelsea on Saturday, April 22, 2017, in New York. Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

The 81-year-old actor joined the 19-year-old Modern Family star at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on Saturday to premiere their film, along with Chevy Chase -- who also stars in the movie -- and Robert De Niro. This marked Reynolds' first public appearance in over a year.

In Dog Years, directed by Adam Rifkin, Reynolds portrays an aging, former movie star who is forced to face the reality that his glory days are behind him. "It's a sweet picture," Reynolds told ET. "I had two rather famous directors [watch it], both cried at the end. That's a good sign."

Burt Reynolds talks Trump, lost loves and his latest movie

Legendary actor Burt Reynolds has been working in Hollywood for nearly six decades. At 81, he still knows how to command a scene on the silver screen. His latest film, “Dog Years,” the tale of an aging movie star, is debuting at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival.

Reynolds sat down with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric to talk about his new film, its parallels to his own life and career, the roles he regrets turning down and his friendship with President Trump.

Reynolds plays Vic Edwards, an actor whose story is similar to Reynolds’ own life and career, from his choice in movie roles to his reputation as a ladies’ man. He said it’s right on the money showing the difficulties of aging in Hollywood.

“I am wrestling with that,” he said. “But it must be good because I’m getting all kinds of offers. I think they like the struggling actor. He works harder.”

Reynolds’ famous 1972 nude centerfold photo in Cosmopolitan magazine makes an appearance in the movie. At the time, there was some backlash to the photo, but all 1.5 million copies of the magazine were sold. Still, Reynolds told Couric he regrets it.

“I look back on it and shudder,” Reynolds said. “What an ass … an egomaniac would do something like that.”

Legendary movie star Burt Reynolds stars in the new film, “Dog Years,” which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. He spoke with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric about the film he looks back on with the most pride.

Reynolds joked that he’s probably done about 50 good movies and 50 bad ones, but of all his films, his favorite is “Smokey and the Bandit.”

“There was Sally, who I hadn’t met before. I fell in like, and I fell in love,” Reynolds said of his “Smokey and the Bandit” co-star and former flame, Sally Field.

Over the course of his long career, Reynolds turned down some iconic roles, including James Bond and Han Solo.

“I would have done a good job,” Reynolds told Couric about the Bond role, saying that missed opportunity hurts the most.

Reynolds spoke with Couric about some of his past loves, including his ex-wife, Loni Anderson, Dinah Shore and Field.

“I screwed it up, like I did everything else,” Reynolds said of his relationship with Field, the one he says got away. “I should have stayed with her. She was terrific. She had everything — talent, sweet, two great kids. She was wonderful.”

Burt Reynolds spoke with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric about the 2016 election, including his thoughts on Hillary Clinton and why he voted for President Donald Trump.

Reynolds also spoke with Couric about President Trump and the 2016 election. He’s friendly with both Trump and Hillary Clinton, so he found it difficult when it came time to vote. Although Reynolds said he thinks Clinton would have been a good president, he voted for Trump.

“It was real close, but I voted for Trump,” Reynolds said. “I thought that he would grow with the job and get better. And I pray that I’m right.”

“He’s done a couple of good things and he’s done a couple of bad things. We have to get rid of the bad things … he has to realize it’s not about ego.”

Reynolds told Couric that he has no plans to retire.

“I’m going to keep working until they shoot me and take me off and bury me,” he joked. “And I hope they film it.”